Chapter 3: The Truth About Sacrifice

Just thirty minutes ago, the bodyguard call me, tell me wetin Okafor Yan hide since:

His call come as I dey try chop bread and tea, but the wahala for voice make my food choke me small. Somebody dey chew gala for corner, Fanta bottle dey roll for floor.

"Aunty Kamsi, you remember five years ago, when second young master carry you go try oyinbo sport for Jos hills, but cold nearly finish you, you fall for valley?"

The memory choke—Naija no too get ski, but Jos get hill wey oyinbo people dey go.

"Oga lead us find you, we search three days, three nights before we see you, you don freeze for cold, you no dey breathe again!"

The pain for him voice dey show say e no be ordinary work. Even me sef dey shiver as I dey remember.

"Oga tell second young master say, werewolf fit share half him life with partner, as long as dem do blood ritual for full moon night!"

The thing sound like family secret, old people wahala.

"Blood ritual na another kind mark!"

The way he talk am, you go think say na juju, but for Okafor people, na tradition.

"If dem do am, na only you go be him partner forever!"

Omo, this kin marking no be beans. Once you collect am, no turning back o!

"But second young master no gree, he no wan accept say you die, he just dey cry hold you!"

Even stubborn Yan sef, na for my matter him eye open. My chest soft small.

"Na oga save you last last!"

The respect for bodyguard voice, e dey like church service for Easter.

"You lucky, that night na full moon!"

"Oga, to save you, do the blood ritual, share half him life with you, mark you join. For the rest of him life, na only you him fit love!"

Omo, love for Naija dey hard to see like this—person give you half life, you no go forget am.

"Second young master beg am make he no tell you!"

Some secrets, dem dey heavy to talk, but e go still come out one day.

"Five years now, every full moon, oga dey endure alone, he no disturb you, he even warn us make we no ever talk about the blood ritual!"

Okafor Qing dey guard him feelings like say na Central Bank vault.

"But tonight, he no fit hold again, he dey serious, near death, and today na full moon. If you no come, he no go survive!"

"Abeg, fit come help am?"

My heart skip beat, my hand cold as I hold phone. This life ehn, na God dey see person through. God, abeg, no let me disgrace myself for here.

That time, my head just blank!

Everything just dey spin, I fit hear my heart dey beat for my ear.

I no ever know say five years ago, I don die before.

Na today my mind clear, as if veil commot for my face. Who go believe say my spirit travel that year?

Okafor Yan, wey I think say love me, no fit share half him life to save me, but na him cold, tough brother save me!

The realization cut deep, like fresh blade for skin.

But I still strong my mind, tell bodyguard:

Even with the truth, I still dey stubborn, my pride no wan gree.

"Sorry, tonight na Okafor Yan need me pass!"

I prefer make dem say I no get shame, rush go help Okafor Yan calm down!

If dem like make dem laugh me, na my body, my choice.

But Okafor Yan still call me puppy, say I be plaything!

Those words dey bounce for my head like generator wey refuse to off.

Yes, I cheap!

I deserve the insult!

If to say I no respect myself, na so e go be. But my spirit dey rise inside me, small small.

But from today, I no go cheap again!

I wipe my tears, hold my phone tight, tell bodyguard:

My voice dey firm now, no shaking.

"E still dey possible make I pay back the life wey oga give me?"

For my mind, I no want carry debt go sleep.

"If na tonight Okafor Qing need me, I dey come now—anything wey e go take!"

If e go pain, make e pain. But I go stand am. God, abeg, strengthen me.

Bodyguard happy, him voice dey shake:

I fit sense joy for him tone, relief just dey everywhere.

"E never too late, e never too late!"

"Aunty Kamsi, I go send you location now now!"

I hear typing sound as him dey rush send address. The loyalty for Okafor family house staff no be play.

"If no be say oga serious this time, if no be full moon, I for no fit talk, oga dey strict well well!"

I sabi, Okafor Qing just wan save my life, nothing else!

As e be strong man, I no dey deceive myself, I no dey expect romance.

He no want make I put mind for am!

His own na sacrifice, e no dey find love inside.

Me sef, I just wan pay am back!

For this kind matter, na dignity sure pass.

No be say I dey run to him because Okafor Yan break my heart!

Na my own decision, no be say I wan use am do rebound.